Did you know there is ski jumping in Michigan?

After setting out to learn more about his home state, photographer Nic Antaya heard about a ski club in Ishpeming, Michigan, which is training a new generation of ski jumpers. He decided to document it.

More than a century ago, local businessmen and skiing enthusiasts took steps to organize the National Skiing Association in Ishpeming, Michigan. As a result, the region is credited as the birthplace of organized skiing in America, and home to the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Hall of Fame.

Ishpeming Ski Club originated in 1887, originally named the Norden Ski Club. It began its annual ski jumping tournament in 1888, with its most recent 2022 tournament concluding the 135th annual tournament.

In the early 1900s, the annual tournament would gather more than 100 competitors, with 1939 having 136 competitors at Suicide Hill. The Ishpeming Ski Club has produced many top-notch athletes, 13 of them being Olympic team members.

Without the past ski jumping elders at Suicide Hill Ski Bowl, the club would not continue onward. Community members and coaches spend countless hours volunteering to maintain the club and train the youth.

"There's not a sport any more extreme than ours," said the club's head coach, Gary "Razz" Rasmussen.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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